I’ve witnessed many people saying that they seem to have lost their writing mojo since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Likewise, it happened to me.
I don’t know what it was, but I didn’t feel in the mood to write any forms of specific creativity.
I couldn’t even bring myself to look at any of the drafts I had for new short stories, or even the two books I have in my computer’s archives.
My desire to delve into them had taken a vacation that had no end date.
I had no idea why it was happening. Then I put something to the test.
Like many, I’d found myself reading blog posts that had a ‘doom and gloom’ theme to them.
The majority of those posts, of course, were COVID-19 related.
However, since cutting down on the number of COVID-19 blogs posts I read, my writing mojo seems to occasionally show signs of returning.
I can sometimes see it waving at me before disappearing again. I was never any good at ‘hide & seek.’ I was always the first one to be found and could never find anybody.
When my writing mojo does appear, I do all I can to grab it by the horns and get writing.
Writing something – anything – makes me feel good. In fact, it makes my day!
This led me to seek out more and more blog posts that contain positivity, laughter, humour and good news. Yes, despite what’s going on in today’s world, those happy blog posts are still out there.
Of course, not all COVID-19 related blog posts are full of doom and gloom. Some contain humour, so I haven’t cut myself entirely off from what’s going on in the world. I’ve even written a few myself, but so have many others.
Yes, there is a COVID-19 connection in her post, but the video has made many readers smile and laugh. Thank you Willow, for giving me and many visitors to your blog a lift, and making our day with the video you shared.
Then there are simple blog posts like the one from Elizabeth, at Tea & Pepper, which features a photo of something that brings joy to her moments of solitude. Her blog post made me smile and confirm to myself that everything will be OK. Click here to view Elizabeth’s post.
We mustn’t forget social media. It’s also playing its part in taking a bad situation and turning it into something that will make some of us smile.
Is now the perfect time to write?
You’d think that this moment in time would be perfect for writers and authors to get on with writing and editing their works-in-progress, especially given that many of us find ourselves at home. Yet, many have no urge to delve in and bring those pieces of fiction and creativity to life.
In a recent comment, I left on the blog of Cher Garman (The Chicago Files), I compared my current life to that of starting a new chapter in a book; a chapter in which I didn’t want to feature. Here’s what I said –
I look at the current situation we’re in as a chapter in a book, Cher. I’ll get to the end of that chapter soon, and a new one will begin. And, best of all, these chapters are a pathway to a happy ending.
The comment got me thinking, and I started to wonder if what is happening in the world today is only happening to me?
- Am I witnessing something that is a warning to only me?
- Are all of you out there just figures of my imagination?
- Am I just a figure of your imagination?
- Are you watching a sci-fi movie of which I am the leading role?
- Did I wake up one morning not realising that I had crossed over into a parallel universe?
- Have we been put to sleep, and what is happening is a dream/nightmare we’re all experiencing at the same time?
- Have I become the victim of one of my short stories because of all the scares they’ve given readers?
My creative desire to write may have hit a dead-end, but it seems my imagination is still in overdrive.
Thankfully, for me, it was only certain forms of writing I found myself struggling with.
I’ve managed to continue to write and publish the weekly episodes featuring newlyweds Doug, Sophie and their friend Mike. And I’ve had no problems with posting my Wordless Wednesday featured photos.
A few weeks ago, I also started a new feature, The Entertainment Files, but all of these required only small amounts of writing. But, little steps lead to big success, don’t they?
After reading a blog post from Esther Chilton, I got those little steps moving and joined in with her request to write a limerick. What great fun that was, especially reading the limericks from other participants.
There was a young actress called Sheila
Who drove her friends mad with her new feature
A strange ring through her nose
As big as her big toes
Made her look like an outa space creature.
Hugh W. Roberts – 2020
Laughter is a medicine we all need at the moment.
Something else that also happened was that by way of a comment, I heard from another blogger who told me how they were trying to spread some positivity.
What a great idea in helping some individual bloggers move away from blogging about COVID-19 by challenging them to write something positive instead.
I may decide to challenge some of you, so watch out for some pingback notifications from me.
Do you still want blogging tips from me?
I’ve wondered if during these uncertain times if anybody wants to continue to read blogging and social media tips. Given I’ve had little appetite for reading any, is this something people still want to read on my blog?
Please let me know by leaving me a comment.
- Are any of you finding that there has been a decline in engagement on your blogs since the COVID-19 pandemic began?
- Have the number of comments you usually get decreased in number or have the comments become shorter?
- Have you noticed a change in the writing styles and subjects from bloggers who typically write and publish about specific genres?
- Are you carrying on as usual and writing and publishing the same stuff you always do?
- Have you noticed other bloggers doing the same?
It’s a strange world out there, but as I look out of the window, nature doesn’t seem to have stopped. There may be a lack of people, traffic and life outside, but everything else looks the same.
Some believe that COVID-19 will change the way we all live our lives in the future. I wonder if it will also change the way many of us write? Or are these changes already happening? What do you think?
Just before publishing this post, I read an interesting blog post by Anne R. Allen which goes into much more detail as to why many writers are finding it tough to write at the moment. Anne gives some excellent advice on how to beat the slump. Click here to read her post.
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